


The Sea Salt Queen

by grapemartini, MandatoryManda



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Rumbelle Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-04
Updated: 2013-07-04
Packaged: 2017-12-17 16:33:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/869647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grapemartini/pseuds/grapemartini, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MandatoryManda/pseuds/MandatoryManda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amphitrite (Belle) muses on her stormy relationship with Poseidon (Rumpelstiltskin).</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sea Salt Queen

**Author's Note:**

> This is the result of a collaboration between myself and grapemartini for the Rumbelle Secret Santa 2012 on Tumblr. grapemartini was given a prompt and created a lovely graphic, and asked me to make a short story to go with it.

 

Amphitrite was sunning herself on a rock nestled within a stormy inlet along the Welsh coast. Or at least, that’s what she obstinately told herself. There were better perches available to her than her current choice for sunning. No, she had to admit, her real reason for being there was to enjoy the solitude. And her need for solitude was due to her greatest vexation: her husband, Poseidon.

 

Even from the beginning, their relationship had been stormy. Amphitrite had been dancing near an island in Greece when Poseidon had apparently seen her and been struck by her beauty. He had watched her for some time before gruffly insisting that she come away with him, and when she hesitated he had scooped her up and taken her anyway! Her father, Nereus, believed the match to be beneficial and blessed it. Nereus was becoming known as the Old Gentleman. He had become too kind and gentle, and his power was waning while that of Poseidon and his brothers were growing. Although she was initially both distraught and angry because Poseidon had carried her off without her say so, and tacitly with her father’s permission, Amphitrite came to care for her home, Poseidon’s people, and finally the old sea-monster himself. Amphitrite had a knack for dealing with creatures of all kinds, and the seas soon became a calmer place. Not that Poseidon did not get angry from time to time still, as that business with Odysseus so long ago can attest. But after some time together, Amphitrite discovered that Poseidon was not as crusty and as ill-tempered as he seemed, and could actually be quite sweet. Although her father had already given Amphitrite to him, Poseidon took care to bring her gifts that would intrigue her from the deepest depths of the ocean. He would often take her to visit all the wondrous places that his domain could reach, and show her things no other eye, mortal or immortal, had ever seen. Few could really comprehend that the sea god and his domain could be gentle or kind to anyone, but it was so with Amphitrite. And so she came to love him.

 

However, even after centuries together, they would still have disagreements. Despite being so ancient, or perhaps as a result, Poseidon still had a temper that could be ferocious. This recent business with all the storms occurring worldwide was a cause of concern for Amphitrite, but Poseidon was adamant that such things were periodically necessary. A necessary evil. Amphitrite could only disagree with such a statement. And since Persephone was spending that precious time with her mother, Amphitrite had no one to share her troubles with. Persephone had also been stolen away, to be a bride for Poseidon’s brother, but without her mother’s consent. It was a situation which still creates tension between Persephone’s husband and her mother. As a result, Persephone had limited time away from her husband with her mother.

 

And so, here she was, in Wales, contemplating her husband and their stormy relationship. This particularly storm-battered area of the coast seemed to fit her mood. The wind and the water constantly assaulted the rocks, which seemed to stand firm under the assault but which were actually losing the battle little-by-little as time went on. That is how Amphitrite felt about her husband. She loved him and would continue to wear away at him until his rough edges were a little polished. Although, she had no intention to obliterate him to sand as these waves would eventually do to these rocks.

 

Amphitrite caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye and so she turned, just a little. There was Poseidon, watching her as he had watched her all those centuries ago. While she had kept the look she favored in her day-to-day life, only foregoing her netted veil of crabs, Poseidon had traded his magnificent tail for a more human appearance. In fact, he had taken on the appearance of one of the local Welsh fisherman, complete with a captain’s hat.

 

“If anyone sees us, people will talk of another Welsh fisherman struck dumb by the beauty of a Selkie”, she teased him. Although she spoke in conversational tones that should not have been audible over the crashing waves, Amphitrite knew Poseidon heard every word.

 

“But I am struck dumb by your beauty, dearie” he replied with that charming smile she knew so well. “And you’re much too beautiful to be mistaken for a fat, spotted Selkie.” Amphitrite laughed, delighted by his playful mood. At that moment, the sun peaked out in such a way as to create a rainbow of light between them and they shared a smile. Then the mighty Lord of the Ocean sobered a little and said

“You are my light, amidst an ocean of darkness.”


End file.
